GOVERNMENT has drawn up a budget of US$25 million for the ongoing refurbishment of the National Sports Stadium, Parliament was told this week.
The government targeted to complete the renovations by the end of the year, but it looks like they could miss that deadline and will be racing against time to get the facility ready for next year’s Fifa World Cup qualifiers.
It also means that Dynamos will continue hopping from one country to another for home matches if they qualify for the Caf Confederations Cup group stages.
Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion minister Mthuli Ncube told Parliament this week that only US$3,8 million has been paid to contractors.
Of the US$25 million worth of jobs, only US$6,8 million has been contracted.
A huge chunk of US$17,5 million is yet to be contracted, which leaves the stadium saga in danger of spilling to next year.
Keep Reading
- Cars up for grabs in batteries competition
- Africa should be better prepared for Europe’s security funding shift
- Sadc PF wants right to health enforceable
- AG’s report shows growing impunity at the heart of govt operation
“The engagements with the Ministry of Sports, Recreation, Arts and Culture indicated that to date, only US$6,75 million of work has been contracted and this relates to infrastructural development, including water reticulation, installation of the security systems such as the VOC [venue operations centre], CCtv and access control equipment as well as the ticketing system for the National Sports Stadium,” Ncube told lawmakers.
“Out of this amount, the total value of work done and certified amounts to US$3,8 million, which has since been paid for in full.”
He broke down the stadium requirements and the budget for each job saying that almost US$8 million will be required for stadium fencing, groundwork and ancillary works.
“Presentations made by the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works during a technical meeting held in July 2024 indicated that a total budget of US$25,4 million is required for the refurbishment of the National Sports Stadium, of which US$17,5 million was related to the refurbishment of infrastructure, improvement in security and access control and US$7,9 million is targeting other works such as palisade fencing, groundwork and other ancillary works,” Ncube said.
“I have a table in my notes here which gives a breakdown of the old budget of US$25,4 million. For water reticulation, the budget is US$920 140 and for turnstiles, ticketing VOC, CCtv and access control, the budget is US$2,4 million. For front lights, generator and main arena generator, it is US$2 million. For floodlights and structural steel, it is US$1 million. So, the total of ongoing works as I said is US$6,5 million.”
The government has got a helping hand from an unnamed partner in the procurement of 45 000 bucket seats.
That partner is believed to be Sakunda Holdings and of the total number required, 15 000 have been manufactured and shipped to Zimbabwe from China.
He could not predict when the work will be completed, despite earlier assurances by other government arms that the sprucing up of the stadium would be complete by year end.
Zimbabwe have since last year been playing their home matches in other countries which has compromised their chances of success.
NSS requirements and contract values
- Water reticulation (US$920 140)
- Turnstiles, ticketing system, VOC, CCtv, and access control (US$2 504 520)
- Floodlights, generator and main arena generator (US$2 018 870)
- Floodlights structural steel (US$1 032 770)
Total on-going works (US$6 476 300)
Outstanding works still to be contracted out (US$12 406 510)
Other requirements which including palisade fencing, groundworks, beautification, and paving of roads among other works (US$5 616 240)
10% contingency (US$2 311 470)
Total: US$25 426 150